Although Burgas is not considered the most popular resort in Bulgaria, vacation here is no worse than in other parts of the coast. The city has a couple of well-equipped beaches, many hotels for every taste and quite interesting sights.
Burgas annually hosts several international theater and music festivals. From April to September, the city turns into cultural capital a country to which travelers from all over Europe aspire.
First of all, tourists will be interested in visiting the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museums, the Seaside Park, ancient Roman and Thracian settlements. Also worth doing boat trip to the island of St. Anastasia and in the evening walk along the picturesque city pier.
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What to see and where to go in Burgas?
The most interesting and Beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.
The park stretches along Black Sea coast 7 km. On its territory are located observation decks, well-groomed flower beds, walking alleys and fountains. You can go down the steps to the sea itself. The park has everything for a pleasant pastime: bike paths, comfortable benches, playgrounds, cafes, a summer theater, a mini-zoo and even a casino. Among the numerous monuments there is a monument dedicated to A.S. Pushkin.
The beach is located near the Seaside Park. The sand here has a pleasant yellowish tint, and the water is almost always clear, despite the proximity of the port. There is also a pier, famous throughout Europe - a favorite place for romantic evening walks. Pleasure boats dock here and you can often see fishermen sitting with a fishing rod.
Since 2008, a festival has been held in Burgas, during which visitors can look at the bizarre sand figures created by participants from different countries... Each time the exhibition is dedicated to a specific topic: fairy-tale characters, famous personalities, movie heroes or animals. To create compositions, an incredible amount of sand is brought to the site.
A compass mark that accurately identifies the geographic center of a city. She appeared in 2011 and immediately fell in love with the residents. They affectionately nicknamed the zero kilometer "the navel of the city." The attraction is located on the street. Alexandrovskaya. It is a slab with a relief ornament. All distances to any place in Burgas are counted from the zero kilometer.
The exposition is located in the building of the former gymnasium, built in late XIX century, designed by the Swiss master H. Mayer. The collection contains artifacts from the Thracian, Roman and Greek periods of the city's history. The most valuable exhibits are the statue of Apollo from the ancient settlement of Antius and the tomb-dolmen of the 13th century BC, found in the vicinity of the Burgas Bay.
The museum collection is housed in a picturesque 19th century mansion, which in itself represents a considerable historical and cultural value... The exhibition consists of handicrafts, national costumes and other interesting items. During holiday season Museum staff organize master classes on teaching traditional crafts for visitors.
The stage on which musical performances and concerts are held. She is considered cultural center Burgas and annually receives a huge number of tourists. The theater troupe actively participates in festivals and cultural events. Among which the festival classical music in April, opera festival in July, arts week in August. Up to 6 premiere performances take place in the theater per season.
The temple was erected at the end of the 19th century to replace the old wooden church. The construction was carried out with donations from city residents. The project was developed by the Italian architect R. Toscani. Apparently, therefore, some elements of the building are more typical for European Catholic churches than for an Orthodox cathedral. However, the outline of the dome clearly shows features of the Byzantine style.
The church was erected in 1853, as evidenced by the inscription on its wall. However, according to some documents, the building appeared in 1808. During the Russian-Turkish war, Bulgarian and Russian soldiers were buried in this temple. Today it is the spiritual center of the Armenian community not only in Burgas, but throughout the entire region. The structure was included in the list cultural monuments in 1970.
The ruins of a settlement from the times of the Roman Empire, located 17 km from Burgas. A colony at this place was founded under the Emperor Vespasian. Over the years, the settlement has developed into one of the richest cities in the region. Deultum existed until the XIV century, after which it fell into decay and was no longer mentioned in sources. Artifacts found on the territory former colony, are exhibited in the archaeological museum.
The settlement is a fortified Thracian settlement. In ancient manuscripts, it is referred to as Thermopolis (Terma). The place is famous for the fact that there are hot mineral springs... Philip of Macedon, Emperor Justinian and Suleiman the Magnificent had time to visit Aqua Kalida. Even under the Thracians, there was a temple on the territory of the settlement, which attracted pilgrims from distant lands.
Several dozen of these magnificent birds live on the peacock farm. Tourists are happy to come here on excursions to admire the plumage and observe the habits of birds. Despite the fact that breeding peacocks is a rather laborious process, the owner of the farm copes with it well. The birds look contented and well cared for as they are kept in almost ideal conditions.
The protected area is located south of Bourgas. It was created in order to preserve the population of birds that used to nest in these places. The reserve is home to pelicans, herons, cormorants, waders and other species. V certain time thousands of storks come here - they use the local swamps as a staging post on their way from Europe to Africa.
Island in the Bourgas Bay, located 6 km from coastline... Its territory is divided by the Orthodox Church (it owns a temple with a lighthouse) and a private company that owns the hotel and restaurant. There is a lighthouse on the island. It is believed that in the 15th century there was a monastery. Recently, the island has been developing as tourist site... People come here to breathe fresh air and admire the endless sea.
There are three picturesque lakes in the vicinity of the city: Burgas, Atanasovskoe and Mandra. The first is considered the largest natural body of water in Bulgaria. It will be separated from the sea by a narrow sand spit... The second is distinguished by a rich variety of fauna and a high concentration of salt in the water. The third is a fresh water reservoir, part of its territory is occupied by the Poda bird sanctuary.
The Bulgarian Silkosia Nature Reserve became the very first natural site in a country officially taken under protection. This happened in 1933 by order of the Ministry Agriculture and state property of Bulgaria. At that time, the area of the reserve was 1,022.6 hectares, but subsequently the area was changed several times. The main task of the Silkosia Nature Reserve in Burgas is to preserve the invaluable animal and plant wealth of the Strandja Mountains. Protected areas are located at a high-rise of about 150 - 250 meters above sea level.
The flora of the Silkosia reserve in Burgas
As of 2015, there are 260 plant species in the Silkosia reserve in Burgas, including 14 tree species, 17 shrub species, more than a hundred herbaceous plants and flowers. This constitutes almost 23% of the total flora of the area and determines the high value and importance of the protected area.
Silkosia is a classic forest reserve, where oak and beech forests grow, as well as many such evergreen shrubs, such as the Pontic rhododendron, common holly, cherry laurel, wolfberry, etc. The average age of trees growing in this reserve is 120 - 140 years old, but there are also “old-timers” of 200 years old. A huge impression on the visitors of the reserve is traditionally made by oak and beech forests. Mountain ash, felt lindens, maples and wild pears are also found here.
Fauna of the Silkosia Reserve in Burgas
The Silkosia Nature Reserve in Burgas is also famous for the diversity of its fauna - more than fifty species of animals live here. Among amphibians, visitors to the reserve can meet green and spotted toads, Greek brown frogs, common tree frogs, which, by the way, are taken under the protection of the Law on Biological Diversity. As for reptiles, here you often come across the so-called legless lizards - suckers and brittle spindles, capercaillies, yellow beetles, as well as different kinds snakes and lizard snakes. These places are characterized by rare and protected Mediterranean and Balkan turtles.
One cannot fail to mention the exceptional diversity of the bird world in the Silkosia reserve in Burgas. These places are inhabited by jays, southern nightingales, orioles, finches, blackbirds, black-headed Mediterranean warblers, as well as different types woodpeckers and birds of prey.
As for the animals, the tourists walking around this reserve can see wild cats, forest and stone martens, wolves and even wild boars.
Useful information
On the territory of the Silkosia reserve in Burgas, any human activity is strictly prohibited, except for the protection of this area, as well as visits for scientific purposes. For the services of guides and guides, tourists should contact the Burgas District Inspectorate for Environmental Protection and Waters (RIOOVV).
Opening hours: The Silkosia Nature Reserve in Burgas is open all year round from Monday to Friday from 09-00 am to 17-30 pm without interruption
Additionally: movement in the Silkosia reserve in Burgas is allowed only on a special and marked hiking trail... When visiting the reserve, it is strictly forbidden to leave this path and explore the territory on your own. In addition, it is forbidden to leave garbage, make fires, disturb animals and birds, and also cut, pluck or otherwise damage plants.
There are many national parks... Especially good for tourism is the Rila Park, famous for its "Seven Lakes" and the Rila Monastery, as well as the Pirin park located in the highest part of the mountain of the same name, the Vratsa-Balkan National Park with the Vratsa Karst nature reserve (more than 200 karst caves with unique flora and fauna), the Central Balkan Park with the highest waterfall in Bulgaria - Praskalo (height - 125 m), the Sinite Kamyni park with incredibly picturesque mountain landscapes, the Rusensky National Park with the richest wildlife and the unique medieval Cherven castle and the Ivanovsky rocky monastery.
Nature Park Vratsa Balkan is a place with a unique concentration of biological diversity and beautiful karst formations. In the registers of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), the park belongs to the category of landscapes and natural parks under protection,
The natural park "Bolgarka" is located in the north of the Balkan Range in Bulgaria. The area of the park is almost 22 thousand hectares. The park is located on the territory of two municipalities: Tryavna and Gabrovo. The height difference in the park is 1120 m, and the average height above sea level is 940 m.
The Belasitsa Natural Park was established relatively recently, therefore it is considered the youngest Bulgarian park. The name of the park was given by the Belasitsa ridge, around which the protected area is organized. Mountain range Belasitsa is located in the ego-west of the country,
National park"Rila" occupies a significant part of the Rila mountains, located in the south-west of the country. The area of this one of the three largest national parks in Bulgaria and one of the largest in Europe - 81,046.0 hectares, and it was created on February 24, 1992.
The natural park "Shumen Plateau" was founded in 1980 for the sake of preserving the landscape and the rarest species of plants and animals. It is located in the eastern part of the Danube Plain, near the town of Shumen. Occupies the Shumen plateau about four thousand hectares.
Lakes of Burgas (Burgas, Bulgaria) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.
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The nature around Burgas is famous for its beauty and wealth. In particular, there are several beautiful lakes here, each of which has its own characteristics and character.
First of all, it is necessary to mention the Burgas Lake, which until 1942 was called Vaya. Exactly this big lake countries that arose naturally. The length of the elongated Burgas Lake exceeds 9.5 km, the width varies from 2.5 to 5 km. The shallow depth (about 1.3 m on average) and the proximity to the sea, which is separated from the lake by a narrow sandy bar, create excellent conditions for the habitation and breeding of birds. More than 250 bird species live on the Burgas Lake, including those included in the Red Book of the country and extremely rare even for Europe. On west bank Lake Vaya, where three rivers flow into, is a bird sanctuary covering 12% of the lake's surface. It is inhabited, in particular, by protected colonies of egrets and other waterfowl.
During the migration season, 75% of the entire European population of white storks (more than 250,000 birds) and 100% of white pelicans (more than 40,000 individuals) turn out to be in Pod.
The so-called Black Sea route of seasonal migration of birds from Europe to Africa passes just over the Burgas Lake. In 2003, Burgas Lake was included in the list of wetlands of international importance.
Unfortunately, the ecological situation on the lake after the disaster with industrial effluents in the 1980s. and still continues to want the best. Waste from various industries and a lot of garbage get into the lake. Therefore, you should be careful when choosing a place for swimming, as well as eating local fish, of which there are not so many left.
Lake Atanasovskoe is no less beautiful, albeit considerably smaller in size: its length reaches only 5 km. This mineral lake, located right by the Black Sea, is also famous for the abundance of fauna, but differs from the Burgas lake in the large concentration of salt in the water. On the Atanasovskoye Lake, salt has been mined for more than 100 years, and tourists may even be lucky to see a thoroughly salted and rusted train with a diesel engine running along a specially laid line here. In addition, the lake has healing mud in the fresh air, where the townspeople often come. And those who do not need to improve their health can go fishing or admire the birds: here you can see more than 70% of the bird species inhabiting Bulgaria.
And to the south-west of Burgas there is another beautiful lake, Mandra (or Mandrenskoe). Lake Mandra is comparable in size to Burgas, and until 1963 the water in it was salty. Later, a dam appeared here, and the lake turned into a fresh reservoir. A part of the territory near the water is occupied by a bird sanctuary.
In 1989, a protected natural area, the Poda wetland-lake reserve, was established on the territory between the three lakes and the sea. Despite the relatively small area, this reserve is intended to preserve the diversity of birds in this area and create all the conditions for following the usual migration routes. During the migration season, in March-April and August-September, 75% of the entire European population of white storks (more than 250 thousand birds) and 100% of white pelicans (more than 40 thousand individuals) are in Pod. As part of the program for the development of ecotourism in the Pod, excursions are conducted with guides - leading bird watchers and volunteers of the center. You can also walk here on your own, using binoculars, telescopes and observation towers. About 15 thousand people visit the center annually.
Practical information
It is most convenient to get to any of the lakes by car: along Todor Alexandrov Boulevard to Burgas, which is located in the west of the city; along Dimitra Dimov street to Atanasovskiy, which is in the north, or to the south-west, along highway 79, to Mandra lake.
Opening hours: Poda Nature Reserve is open daily, from April to September - from 9:00 to 19:00, from October to March - from 9:00 to 17:00.
Entrance: entrance to the reserve for adults: BGN 3.60, for children: BGN 1.20. You can get to the territory of the reserve only by prior request.
Prices on the page are for August 2018.
Bulgaria is a country with amazing nature, striking in the number of natural phenomena and protected areas. It ranks third in the world in terms of the number of biosphere reserves. There are unique parks, lakes, caves and other wonders created by nature.
Biosphere reserves are protected natural reserves in which scientific research is carried out, developments aimed at preserving the natural environment are introduced, and which are objects of international importance.
In Bulgaria, there are about 16 such natural areas... Let's dwell on the most interesting of them.
Top 5 biosphere reserves in Bulgaria
Srebarna - "bird Eldorado"
The biosphere reserve with an area of 600 hectares is located 2 km from the Danube River. It includes large lake Srebarna, formed in a karst depression, and wetland areas around. it unique place and one of the most interesting reserves in Europe. It is under the protection of UNESCO and is included in the top 100 national tourist sites in Bulgaria.
Srebarna is famous for a variety of rare bird species and reed islands floating in the lake, which have no analogues in the world. The reed reaches a height of 7 meters, and thanks to its movement, the appearance of the reservoir changes.
On these islets, and they are never flooded with water, Dalmatian pelicans, mute swans, herons, live and equip their nests, wild geese, crayfish, turtles, otters and ibises. Birds usually hatch chicks here or stay for the winter. In total, about 160 species of birds, 6 species of fish and 35 species of amphibians live on the territory of the reserve. Srebarna is a place where Dalmatian pelicans nest (and there are only four of them in the world), and they live in colonies of 60-120 pairs.
There is an ecological trail around the reserve, along which you can walk, observe the behavior of birds and admire the delightful panoramas, or take a break and relax in the gazebos.
There is a museum of natural sciences here. In it you can see exhibits related to the life of birds in the reserve, from here scientists observe the birds. Tourists are also offered to spy on the inhabitants of the lake. This is possible thanks to a video camera installed in the middle of the reservoir.
How did the reserve nearly disappear?
In 1942, this area became a waterfowl reserve, and six years later it received the status of a reserve.
In 1949, a dam was built on the Danube. The waters of the river overflowed very close, only 2 km from the lake. Nevertheless, the reservoir soon began to dry up: in more than 20 years, the water level in it dropped from six meters to one and a half meters. Naturally, the birds were under the threat of extinction, as food sources became less and less, and space too. The authorities allocated more than 1 million leva to save the lake, large-scale works were carried out - and life was revived on Srebarna.
Tract "Broken stones"
This desert area is known as the "stone forest". It is located 18 km from the city of Varna and represents amazing stone columns scattered over an area of 50 sq. Km.
The size and shape of these natural formations are different: some reach a height of six meters, some have a diameter of 2 m, some of them are empty inside. The columns were discovered in the 19th century and are the only site of their kind in Europe.
The most bizarre stones are scattered far from the road, you can only get to them on foot.
The riddle of the stone forest
Initially, it was believed that these are the remains of ancient temples built by man. In fact, the columns are large stalactites formed from mineral waters which, through erosion, formed into a stone forest.
However, not all so simple. Geologists are still racking their brains about the origin of the curiosity. There are about 15 theories in total. The most popular is the version of the Lutese Sea. Once upon a time there was a sea in these parts. Three layers were formed at its bottom: the lower one was made of marl base, the middle one was made of quartz sand, and the upper one was made of limestone. When all the water left, the upper layer began to collapse, and the layers began to mix, forming stone columns.
According to another version, the pillars were formed from corals, because once there was a tropical climate. Methane seeped from the bottom of the sea. The gas went upstairs, and microorganisms accumulated around. They mixed with quartz sand and thus the columns appeared. And in those places where the gas appeared, the pillars turned out to be hollow.
Be that as it may, but there is quite a strong energy. It is believed that touching stone pillars destroys negative energy. The strongest is the place marked with a special circle.
Groups of stones
At first, by the road, there are four rows of columns, then there is a series of high rocks, then stones stacked on top of each other follow, but the most attractive for tourists is the fourth group - a circle of stones, in the center of which there is a high column. There is a belief: if you go inside this circle, you will always be lucky.
Reserve "Kamchia"
In the delta of the Kamchia River, 25 km from Varna, there is a beautiful nature reserve... Its greatest value is virgin forests, which constantly flood river waters.
This area received the status of a reserve in 1951 in order to preserve an ecosystem important for the planet. Since the zone is of great importance for nature conservation, Kamchia was included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of the UNESCO program.
In 1984, the area was increased to 842 hectares. At the mouth of the river lies the Longoza marshland, which is a haven for some rare bird species and marsh plants. It is home to 39 species of fish, as well as the black stork, hobbyist and lesser spotted eagle. 66% of all birds in Bulgaria are located on the territory of the reserve. There are 245 plant species, including the core.
Rest in the reserve
Tourists can stay at a small camp located in the forest near protected areas. For entertainment, you can go by boat upstream of Kamchia and, making your way through the reed beds, watch ducks, pelicans and herons. The landscapes here also will not leave you indifferent: branches of trees that slope low to the water, forests resembling a jungle, and of course nature itself is generous and amazing.
Tourists having a rest here should remember that it is allowed to move around the territory of the reserve only along marked trails. Walking anywhere and everywhere is strictly prohibited. The rules apply to everyone, without exception.
Chuprene - mountain biosphere reserve
This biosphere reserve is located in the Stara Planina mountains near the border with Serbia. It was established in 1973 to protect coniferous forests in an area dominated by beech plantations. For this reason, this area is extremely important for the water supply of the region.
Forests here cover about 90% of the total area, mainly spruce-fir and spruce-beech forests. In the reserve flows a large number of rivers, there is quite rich vegetation and a very diverse fauna.
The reserve is inhabited by: fire salamander, copperhead, fox, stone marten, wolf, mink, forest cat, squirrel, 14 species of bats, wood grouse, black griffin, golden eagle, lark and many others. More complete information about flora and fauna is presented in Wikipedia. In addition, Chuprene is the only nature reserve in Bulgaria where wolves live.
Once upon a time, various large predators were found in this area. For example, lynxes - these animals are no longer on the Bulgarian territory. Unfortunately, the bears were also destroyed. The only predators that live here are wolves.
Glamy - a landmark of the protected area
This is what they call the low Mountain peaks not covered with forest. Partridges, hares and reptiles live here. In ancient times, these places were used to disseminate information and served as observation posts for the army, from which various signals were sent.
A museum has been opened on the territory of the reserve. It displays about 3000 exhibits, including bird species listed in the Red Book.
"Red Wall" - the world of orchids
It is the largest biosphere reserve in the Rhodope Mountains. It was founded in 1962. In terms of flora diversity, the "Red Wall" came out on top in the country and is currently under the protection of UNESCO.
The reserve owes its name to the highest cliff in the mountains. The whole area is conventionally divided into two parts: deciduous trees grow in the lower tier (oak, hornbeam, maple, ash, etc.), and in the upper tier - conifers. The Chaya River flows through the territory of the reserve, forming a waterfall. The area of the "Red Wall" is more than 3000 hectares.
Inhabitants of the reserve
The reserve is inhabited by deer, otters, wild goats, bears and other animals, birds of prey feel great here (eagle, burial ground, wasp eater). In total, about 63 species of birds have been registered on the territory of the protected area, 17 of them are listed in the Red Book. Trout is found in the river.
The "red wall" is rich flora, including the rarest specimens (there are 645 plant species in total). Only here the most beautiful orchid "Venus's shoe" grows. Its flowers are the largest, yellow or dark red in color. In total, about 27 species of European orchids are registered here. There are also other endemics here: the Rhodope tulip, anemone, flax, wolfberry, yew, Persian morina and haberlea. The latter type is used to decorate rocky areas.
Reserve "Red Wall" is under serious protection. There is a very strict regime here: visitors are allowed to walk only five special trails. The environmental protection inspectorate deals with the protection and development of the reserve.
Bachkovo Monastery
On the territory of the reserve there is one of the largest monasteries in Bulgaria - the Bachkovo Monastery "Holy Mother of God". It is included in the top 100 national tourist sites of the country. The monastery is famous for its iconostases and frescoes.
